The first shaft for the viaduct path is under construction.

From ODOT-  By early 2014, improvements to the park paths near the new Willamette River Bridges will be complete.  The most significant change, a new viaduct path on the south bank of the Willamette River, will replace the current path that connects to the south side of Franklin Boulevard, east of the bridges.



Bridge beams reused from the Interstate 5 detour bridge will provide a structure for the realigned path.  The beams will be supported by 14 individual bridge columns spaced along the riverbank.  Rebar and concrete will fill drilled shafts to a depth of at least 10 feet into the bedrock.



We've recently taken the first step in constructing the viaduct, by drilling a shaft beneath the new northbound bridge.  This had to occur now, because the drilling equipment is too tall to fit under the new northbound bridge once it is built.  This may be the only work we do on the viaduct path until this fall.

As you can see, the drill is taller than the new southbound bridge and would not have fit under the soon-to-be-built northbound freeway bridge.

Here, workers line up equipment to place the steel retainer ring, which will prevent dirt and rock from falling back into the drilled shaft.

ODOT approves design enhancements for north bank natural area

From ODOT-

ODOT has approved two design enhancements proposed by Litus LLC for the Whilamut Naural Area near the new Interstate 5 Willamette River bridges.



Blue engraved stones will be installed on the slope south of the Canoe Canal Path under Interstate 5. Fifteen stones will depict the life cycle of the abundant camas, from the bulb's edible underground roots, to its open flowers, to its seeds falling to the ground.



The designs reflect the "Whilamut Passage" theme selected by the community in 2009. When completed in 2014, the installation will enhance local understanding of the Kalapuya culture and the area inhabited by Native Americans.



Teams from the Community Involvement and Long-term Ownership Strategy (CILOS) will participate in the restoration of 3.5 acres of land in the Whilamut Natural Area. They will restore the Willamette Valley upland and prairie habitat by removing non-native vegetation and planting native species. They will add design enhancements consisting of singing perches for birds created by supported tree snags. Some 14 local schools working in groups of 20 - 40 students per school will complete the project over three years. Ongoing education and awareness is an important aspect of this project.

Here's a rendering of the singing perches to be placed in the Whilamut Natural Area.

Over the past few months, a Design Enhancement Steering Committee has worked with the local designers to develop the final recommendation. The Citizen Advisory Group and the Project Development Team reviewed the designs at the end of November and recommended them to ODOT. We have approved the recommendation and will move forward with contracting with Litus for final designs, with installation to be completed by spring 2014.



ODOT appreciates Litus' work and all the volunteers who helped develop these enhancements. They will certainly benefit the area for generations.

Waterways Surrounding the Bridges

From ODOT-

Do you know that besides the Willamette River, there are 13 other bodies of water surrounding our project?



Both natural and manmade waterways flow here. The Whilamut Natural Area is home to the Canoe Canal, also known as Patterson Slough, and two protected wetlands. The Canoe Canal water originates from a diversion structure built in 1974 east of the bridge and reconnects to the river near the Ferry Street Bridge. The wetlands retain rainwater throughout much of the year, providing natural filtration and supporting a diverse plant environment.



On the south bank of the river, an interconnected network of waterways includes eight wetlands and two creeks. Three of the largest are Laurel Valley Creek, Augusta Creek and the Glenwood Slough. Water from the Laurel Hill Valley neighborhood winds through this network and flows into the river west of the bridges. Located along Interstate 5, the Franklin Boulevard off-ramp and the railroad tracks, this network captures and naturally treats rain runoff.



Before construction began, we developed plans to avoid or minimize impacts to all of these bodies of water. As part of the Willamette River Bridge project, we will improve this system through stream restoration and new bioswales that capture and treat more of the runoff before it enters the river.

Hundreds of Volunteer Hours Make this Bridge Possible

From ODOT- I cannot stress enough how grateful everyone at ODOT is for the citizens who have donated so much time, effort and passion into making this bridge something we are all proud of.



A 12-member Community Advisory Group (CAG) has been instrumental in developing project goals, objectives and design considerations to ensure that community values are a part of the project. They have been meeting since 2007, and have included representatives from local neighborhoods, recreation groups, local artists, architects, the University of Oregon and the Citizen Planning Committee (CPC) for the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park. The work on the enhancements has been guided by a Design Enhancement Panel (DEP), a diverse group of design professionals and community representatives, and a Design Enhancement Steering Committee (DESC) made up of four members from the CAG that continues to meet. The four members of the DESC are Charlotte Behm, Bob Kline, Vicky Mello, and Scott Wylie.



ODOT is fortunate to be able to include artistic enhancements on the project that will reflect community values and add cultural significance to the design. Esther Stutzman, a Kalapuya tribal representative, and David Lewis, representative of The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, have played a large role in inspiring the design enhancements. They each set aside time to help develop the bridge's aesthetic values and to foster the designers through their work.



I'd also like to thank our citizen volunteers who have worked to have the bridge renamed the Whilamut Passage Bridge. While the name is not yet official, we are well on our way thanks to their efforts shepherding it through the process. Thank you, all. Your work on this project has ensured that it will resonate with this community for years to come.

What's in a name?

From ODOT- Local citizens have been working to get support for naming the new Interstate 5, Willamette River Bridge.



The name Whilamut Passage (pronounced "WHEEL-a-moot") is the theme of the project and guides the design enhancements surrounding the bridge. The theme recognizes the unique setting of the bridge in the Whilamut Natural Area, a place of historic and environmental significance. The setting is also a transportation hub of bicycle, pedestrian, rail, waterway, and highway traffic. To the Kalapuya, Whilamut means, "Where the river ripples and runs fast."



Local citizens have already accomplished many of the steps required for naming the bridge. They've received support from Lane County, the cities of Springfield and Eugene, and the Metropolitan Policy Committee. The Oregon Geographic Names Board approved of the name on June 25.



Because the name honors the Kalapuya, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde must also support it. Once this step is complete, the proposal will go to ODOT Region 2 for final approval. The Willamette River Bridge Community Advisory Group has also endorsed the Whilamut Passage name, and ODOT greatly appreciates the time and energy these volunteers are putting into a bridge that means so much to the community.

Preserving the Historic Eugene Millrace

From ODOT- Building a bridge located between two communities and natural areas is quite a challenge. For the Willamette River Bridge project, an additional challenge is avoiding impacts to the historic Eugene millrace.

Some remnants of the Eugene millrace can be seen in the river east of the bridge. Portions of the channel are visible under the bridge and along the river on the south bank. Seeing any remains on the river bank is difficult due to vegetation.

Before building the new southbound bridge, we mapped the remnants of the old millrace and made plans to avoid damage and restore any areas affected by construction. We hired a historian to document the millrace; this information will be incorporated into an interpretative display on the south bank.

From the time the millrace was first constructed in 1851 by Hilyard Shaw, it supported economic development and recreation in Eugene. Water from the millrace provided power for lumber and flour mills, a produce cannery, sash and door factory, cider and vinegar plant, furniture factory, a distillery and other facilities. Recreational uses included boating and floating parades in the summer and ice skating when frozen in the winter. Some well-kown University of Oregon student activities took place on the millrace. The millrace was last used for manufacturing around 1928. Floods in the 1940's destroyed much of the original structure, diminishing any long-term use.

I've enjoyed learning more about the history and significance of the Eugene Millrace. We look forward to adding to the historical record through a display for those who visit. The next time you are on the south bank path, look toward the river, and you will likely see some of the milrace ruins.

Above Deck Design Enhancements Selected

From ODOT- ODOT approved three design enhancement pieces to install adjacent to Interstate 5 north and south of the new Willamette River Bridge. Before making the recommendation, local stakeholders reviewed proposals from five artists and comments submitted by local citizens. The enhancements represent the history and culture of the Kalapuya and other tribes in the Willamette Valley and ensure a lasting reminder of Native Americans for generations to come.

"River" by the Lillian Pitt Team depicts a canoe above a graceful wave pattern in a setting of large camas plants and cattails. It is the largest piece selected and will be located north of the Willamette River Bridges between the northbound and southbound I-5 lanes.

"Camas Basket" by Rhiza A+D, inspired by Kalapuyan basketry, is filled with fibrous reeds combined with camas stems capped by blue blossoms. It will be located north of the Canoe Canal Bridge on either the east or west bank.

"Blue Camas Basket" by Devin Laurence Field LLC, represents the once plentiful camas plant in local prairies, which was a critical food source and feature in tribal lore. Located south of the Willamette River Bridge, this piece announces the significance of the area to northbound traffic.

All three artists are from Oregon and have public art pieces installed throughout the northwest.

We are excited about the art selected and recognize it represents the importance of the Whilamut Passage, the Willamette River and this location to Native Americans, the region and the state.

You can view the three selected designs on our Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregondot/5738236526/in/set-72157626374823972/

South Bank of River to Include Interpretive Displays

From ODOT- We work closely with our contractors to minimize the impact of construction on local historical features and to leave behind not only wonderful new bridges, but historical information about the area in which the bridges are located. The displays will be installed in late 2013 or early 2014.

When the new bridges are completed, visitors to the south bank will see unique interpretive displays about Native American culture and the old Eugene Millrace.

The first interpretative display reminds us that the Willamette Valley and surrounding foothills have a rich Native Anerican heritage that has been mostly forgotten until recently.

To provide more opportunities to understand the contribution of Native Americans, ODOT, in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, will install the display on the river's south bank with information about the history and contributions of the first people to live and prosper in the valley.

The second interpretive display comes from a federal requirement to protect and enhance Eugene's historic Millrace ruins as part of the bridge replacement project.

At one time, the Eugene Millrace diverted water from the river at an intake east of what is now the Willamette River Bridge to generate power to run many Eugene industries. While building the new bridge, we have preserved and exposed more of the original millrace. In addition, we worked with a historian to document the history of the millrace for future generations. Some of that history and information will be part of a permanent display for the public to enjoy when visiting the south bank.

A lot of concrete, rebar and other materials

From ODOT- Have you ever wondered about the amount of material it takes to construct a new bridge, especially one as large as the new southbound Willamette River Bridge?

Visitors on the project tours often ask this question. Here’s the answer.

The finished portion of the bridge will be made up of 2.7 million pounds of rebar and 7,300 cubic yards of concrete. Rebar is used to add tensile strength to concrete. It is usually made of carbon steel, and has ridges for better anchoring into the concrete.

The rebar ranges from as small as 1/2 inch in diameter up to 2.25 inches. It is labor intensive to install and link all that rebar together before the concrete can be poured.

More steel and a lot of wood was needed to build the work bridge in the river and the supports and wooden falsework where the rebar is installed and concrete poured to build the new bridge. About 14 million pounds of steel was used to drive the piles supporting the work bridge and to support the wooden falsework use to form the bridge arches. The amount of wood used on the work bridge and falsework exceeds 2 million board feet and includes 2-by-4’s, 8-by-8’s and many sheets of plywood.

The crew building the bridge used these materials to create the arches you now see spanning the river and the bridge supports and beams south of Franklin Boulevard.

On a side note, the web cam is operational again, check it out.

Design Complete on Willamette River Bridge

From ODOT-Another important milestone has been reached on the Willamette River Bridge project. Design of the northbound bridge, along with modifications to Interstate 5 lanes and ramps is complete. This is the last major engineering design work needed to guide completion of the new I-5 bridges. Finishing the design work is a result of close collaboration between Oregon Department of Transportation, OBEC Consulting Engineers, Hamilton Construction and a large group of key community stakeholders.

While the bridge and roadway design work has been completed other design efforts are ongoing. Regional artists continue to work with stakeholders to design artistic enhancements to the project area.

The team, especially our committed stakeholders, is to be complimented on a job well done. I know the community will be pleased with the results when the entire project is complete.

Whilamut Passage design enhancements will grace the Willamette River bridges

From ODOT-

As part of the Willamette River Bridge project, ODOT is working with Pacific Northwest artists to create enhancements near pedestrian paths on the north and south banks of the Willamette River and along Interstate 5 near the bridges.

The enhancements will follow the Whilamut Passage theme, to reflect an intersection in time, a confluence and a crossing. The Whilamut Passage theme will incorporate words, phrases and images that encompass the variety of users—past, present and future—as well as the area’s geography.

Fourteen artists proposed and a volunteer selection committee selected five finalists whose proposals reflect the Whilamut Passage theme. The artists are all based in the Pacific Northwest: Adam McIsaac and Travis Mercier, rhiza Architecture + Design, Lillian Pitt, Devin Laurence Field, and Eutectica Design.

Examples of public art and enhancements by these teams can be found in Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Portland and across the border in Washington. Some of the materials used by these artists in other communities include wood, concrete, stainless steel, and bronze.

The Community Advisory Group will make a recommendation to ODOT’s design team on a finalist from the proposed designs in late April. Once selected, the artist will complete the design and engineering for bidding and installation.

According to the current design enhancement schedule, you will start to see the enhancements in the fall of 2013 or spring 2014, after both bridges have been completed.

Look for information in the near future about a public open house in Eugene the first week of April when all five finalists will present their proposed designs.

Beyond the arches

From ODOT- With all the attention that’s been focused on building the graceful arches for the new I-5 Willamette River Bridge, you may not realize that they are but part of a series of four independent bridges linked together form a single span from the north bank of the Willamette River to the south end of the project past Franklin Boulevard.

While the arch spans obviously catch your eye as they prominently cross the river, they are not the longest part of the new bridge.

South of the river, the new I-5 bridge crosses over Franklin Boulevard, railroad tracks, the I-5 off-ramp to Franklin Boulevard, pedestrian paths and local creeks and drainages. The bridge over the river is 806 feet long, but the portion from Franklin Boulevard south is 900 feet long.

We’re building two more independent bridges south of the river. They will consist of box girder beams constructed on site followed by forming and pouring the bridge deck on top.

Another much smaller box girder bridge will connect I-5 on the river’s north bank to the arch bridges crossing the Willamette.

Each independent bridge must be tensioned separately. Once tensioned, the deck of the new southbound bridge will become one continuous smooth surface, from the north bank of the Willamette River to south of Franklin Boulevard.

The new bridge on the north bank of the Willamette River.

Bridge construction south of the river.

Cities, Parks and ODOT work collaboratively to improve the park path experience

From ODOT-

As the ODOT Area Manager for Lane County, and one of the managers assigned to the WRB project, I have been working with parks stakeholders and the cities of Eugene and Springfield to improve the extensive network of park paths that pass under and around the new I-5 bridges.

Many cyclists, walkers and runners in Eugene and Springfield benefit from connections the existing paths make between the two cities. The WRB project is, however, providing a perfect opportunity to implement changes and additions to the system that will make the park path experience safer, and more convenient.

One of the planned improvements is to create a new viaduct path, built with beams recycled from the I-5 detour bridge, along the south bank of the Willamette River, and the north side of Franklin Boulevard. The existing South Bank Path that crosses under Franklin Boulevard will be abandoned and removed so that the area can be replanted and restored to a more natural state.

Look for the viaduct path to open late in 2013 or in early 2014 when the Willamette River Bridge replacements and all park improvements are complete. Construction of the viaduct path is a joint effort between ODOT and the City of Springfield.

In addition, we will be resurfacing all paths near the project, and will rebuild the intersection of the North Bank Path and the Knickerbocker Bridge to eliminate the steep transition between the two. I am excited about all of these planned improvements, and believe you will be as well.

Views from the I-5 Willamette River Bridge project

From ODOT- I thought it would be nice to share with you some of the lesser seen sights around the bridge project. I particularly like the icicles hanging from the falsework for the new bridge arches. ODOT and its contractors work in all kinds of weather to get the job done.

A squirrel explores along the new sound wall near the Laurel Hill Valley nieghoborhood that helps protect nearby homes from freeway noise.

A worker in a basket crane puts final touches on teh columns that will support the I-5 southbound bridge.

A steelworker guides one of the temporary beams inot place that are used to build thenew birdges over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks at the south end of the project. Note that he's wearing a special harness attached to the steel beam that protects him in case of a fall.

Replacing the Temporary Bridge

From ODOT- With all the construction work under way on the new Interstate 5 Willamette River bridges, it’s easy to forget the bridge carrying I-5 traffic since 2004 is temporary.

This fall, when the new southbound bridge is complete, we’ll shift all I-5 traffic onto it, which will allow us to dismantle the temporary bridge clearing the way for construction of the new northbound bridge.

As we closely watch construction of the new arch bridges, I think it’s important to remember why we’re building them.

When ODOT inspected the original I-5 Willamette River bridges in 2002, we discovered structural problems in the aging girders. We quickly put load limits in place that forced heavy haul truck traffic to detour on U.S. 97 through Central Oregon. The long detour increased the cost and time of moving goods in and through Oregon.

While we immediately started planning for new bridges to replace the old, we knew it would take significant amount of time to design and construct a bridge to meet the environmental and seismic standards for permanent bridges with a lifespan of 100 years. That was too long to wait to return heavy truck traffic to I-5 through Eugene-Springfield. Building a temporary bridge became the best interim solution.

We quickly designed a temporary bridge and acquired needed right of way and permits. Our contractor, Hamilton Construction, started work on the temporary bridge in 2003, and it opened to traffic in 2004. The temporary bridge was built using materials and methods that could be quickly installed, but it does not meet all standards required for a permanent bridge with 100-year lifespan.

The temporary bridge has carried traffic for more than six years. During that time heavy freight has moved easily on I-5. Truckers, and the consumers of the goods they transport, have avoided the economic impacts of a costly detour.

We expect the new bridges to be complete in 2013, almost a decade after the temporary bridge opened. By the time both new bridges are open to traffic, Oregonians will see a good return on their investment in the temporary bridge. In addition, material from the temporary bridge will be reused or recycled, and the right of way used for the temporary bridge will be returned to its natural state.

When the work is done, our goal is to leave the project area in far better shape than we found it.

Your safety is our top priority

From ODOT- Every day 59,000 cars travel over the temporary Willamette River Bridge as we replace the aging structure. But keeping motorists safe is only part of the puzzle -- hundreds of bicyclists, walkers and joggers move through the site daily on Alton Baker Park paths.

To keep everyone safe, regardless of how they enter the construction site, we install warning signs, barricades and provide detours to move vehicles and people through and around the area.

Flaggers play a key role on the highway and paths through the construction site. Regardless of the weather or the time of day, they are stationed at key locations to keep you safe.

The flagger monitors construction traffic and events and determines how best to ensure safety. It might involve a temporary delay until a piece of equipment passes, showing you an alternate route, or leading you through an area where large construction vehicles are moving or other construction related hazards exist. Flaggers receive special training so they're prepared to evaluate changing project conditions that require a quick response, while respecting and responding to members of the public.

Flaggers know that for your safety, you need to stop, wait, go around or be escorted through the construction zone. They don't know, however, if you're running late or simply don't want to be delayed; please be patient. Flaggers will keep you safe and a short delay is worth your well-being.

The next time you pass through the Willamette River Bridge project and see a flagger, remember that your safety is their highest priority.

Happy New Year: where we've been and where we're going

From ODOT- People observing the construction of the Willamette River Bridge project often ask when it will be done. The new year is a good time for an update.

In the spring of 2010, the Hamilton Construction team began drilling and filling the bridge foundations. By summer they were constructing the wooden framework for arches and last fall the concrete was taking shape. Just last month, crews started jacking the arches apart, supplying the tension that will allow the arches to support the bridge deck. They also started pouring the final crown to complete the arches' graceful curves.

Next crews will add the beams that will carry the deck of the I-5 bridge before pouring the concrete that will become the roadway. This will be the focus of the first part of the year and by fall motorists will be driving on the new southbound bridge.

From late 2011 to early 2012, contractors will demolish the temporary bridge that's now carrying traffic and begin work on the new northbound bridge. We'll repeat the entire process to build the northbound I-5 bridge.

The project team will complete the second bridge in the fall of 2013. Northbound traffic will then move to the new bridge.

Finally, contractors will install design enhancements in the park and open space around the bridge. The entire project will be complete by spring of 2014.

Close up pictures of the new beams

From ODOT- This blog gives people an opportunity to see components of the Willamette River Bridge construction up-close that they otherwise wouldn't get to see. Now that the arch ribs have been successfully jacked, work has begun on the next stage of the bridge; placing precast beams.

The concrete structures shown below are precast beams that will eventually support the bridge deck over the project's graceful arches. Unlike the arches and other bridge components-- which we are building, forming and pouring on site-- these beams were brought in already formed; we simply put them into place.

The wood handrails on top of the beams are part of a temporary walkway that allows workers to move from one arch to the other without having to go up and down stairs.

Contractors laterally brace the falsework used to frame and pour the arches to ensure they're the same distance apart and remain aligned as work continues. As shown below, these braces have an impressive appearance both from a distance and up close.

Arch rib photo story part 4 of 4

From ODOT-In the past few weeks, we have explored how the Willamette River Bridge deck arches are built. We started with the steel-reinforced shafts that provide a support for the arches. Then, we described the intricate work to connect the arches with the foundation. Next, we saw the skeletal elements of the arches. Now we will see what gives the arches their strength and makes up the part that is actually visible. The picture at the top of our blog page can help you visualize the finished arches.

With the rebar arch skeleton in place and the first of the arch forms built, trucks started lining up to provide a constant supply of fresh concrete to pour the arches. The intricate twists and bends of the rebar cages create a challenge: Air bubbles, poor mixture or inconsistent filling of the form can lead to weaknesses in the concrete, compromising the integrity of the arch. To avoid this, the team brought in a local concrete-mixing expert to oversee the process. This speciality contractor developed a variety of "concrete cocktails" that resulted in a mixture capable of flowing almost like water to fill every nook and cranny within the arch form, yet able to strengthen enough to support the bridge.

Next: Watch for the crown pouring and the jacking of the arches.

Southbound on-ramp to reopen Dec. 15

From ODOT- On June 21, we closed the Interstate 5 southbound on-ramp from Franklin Boulevard to continue work on the Willamette River Bridge project. When the ramp reopens on Dec. 15, you will see many changes, such as:

• The ramp, now higher and wider, merges more smoothly with I-5.
• New lighting improves visibility at night.
• New retaining walls support the raised roadway.

The most visible change is the new sound wall on the west side of the ramp to decrease traffic noise in the Laurel Hill Valley Neighborhood.

The design on the east side of the sound wall represents a sound wave as it travels from the foothills to the valley floor. On the neighborhood side, our contractors installed sculptured concrete representing local geologic forms such as Judkins Point, Coburg Hills, Mount Pisgah and Laurel Hill.

This reopening is a significant milestone on the way to wrapping up construction of the southbound Willamette River Bridge.

Thanks for your patience during the construction work. We really appreciate it.